


the confrontation

by shazi_the_storyteller



Series: the hero's world [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Anorexia, Body Image, Bulimia, Confrontations, Crying Adrien Agreste, Depression, Developing Relationship, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Eating Disorders, F/M, POV Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Purging, Supportive Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28673571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shazi_the_storyteller/pseuds/shazi_the_storyteller
Summary: Adrien was more observant than people gave him credit for. It was a skill he developed at a young age—he always had to know what his father was thinking in order to avoid getting on his bad side. But as he got older, he realized his talent was useful for more than knowing when to avoid his father. As he got started in the modeling world, Adrien paid attention to the others. If the makeup artists looked more irritable than usual, Adrien would crack some gently sarcastic jokes to see if he could bring out a smile and lighten the mood. If the photographers were on the snappier side, he did his best to figure out exactly what they wanted so he could finish the job quicker. Most importantly, he paid attention to his fellow models.That’s why he started watching Marinette....Chapter 5 of my story "vicious eyes", told from Adrien's perspective :)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: the hero's world [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101485
Comments: 5
Kudos: 50





	the confrontation

Adrien was more observant than people gave him credit for. It was a skill he developed at a young age—he always had to know what his father was thinking in order to avoid getting on his bad side. But as he got older, he realized his talent was useful for more than knowing when to avoid his father. As he got started in the modeling world, Adrien paid attention to the others. If the makeup artists looked more irritable than usual, Adrien would crack some gently sarcastic jokes to see if he could bring out a smile and lighten the mood. If the photographers were on the snappier side, he did his best to figure out exactly what they wanted so he could finish the job quicker. Most importantly, he paid attention to his fellow models.

That’s why he started watching Marinette.

As strict as his father was, Adrien’s food intake was never restricted. After all, he was always able to order ungodly amounts of Camembert for Plagg without raising any suspicion (although his father did make an attempt at gently teasing him about his apparent obsession with smelly French cheeses once). In fact, Gabriel Agreste never mentioned anything about weight or appearance to _any_ of his models, something that Adrien knew was relatively uncommon in the modeling space. However, even if M. Agreste didn’t enforce a certain look among his models, Adrien knew that the rest of Paris most certainly did. The pressure of being a model was immense, and far sooner than he should have, he grew used to the sounds of retching in the bathrooms and growling stomachs around him, the sounds of politely declining food and lying through a mint-flavored mouth.

Adrien was suspicious of Marinette from the day she ate nothing but a few bites of a green apple. He knew he couldn't confront her yet, since it was possible that she wasn't lying, but in his heart he could tell that her fidgeting and panicked expressions weren't normal. But he kept quiet and kept watching.

As Adrien kept watching, he saw Marinette’s face grow hollow, her skin pasty and her eyes sunken in. She became more drained, a heaviness to the way she walked that made it seem like she was dragging chains behind her at all times. Adrien always admired how sharp Marinette was—in that regard, she reminded him of Ladybug—but he watched her eyes grow hazy, her intelligence blurred by everything she was doing to her body.

After a few weeks of watching Marinette eat lunch and immediately excuse herself to use the restroom, often barely making it to class on time afterward, Adrien decided to talk to her. He could see the subtle swelling on the sides of her face that he recognized in some of the models he worked with, and he knew that things would only get worse from there. He felt bad for Marinette—aside from how physically painful it was (he tried it once or twice before, but quickly decided it wasn’t worth it), he could see the toll it was taking on her. But would confronting her make things worse? Adrien hoped not, because he couldn’t see what else he could do. 

A few minutes after Marinette left for the bathroom after lunch, Adrien followed her. He waited outside the bathroom, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall in an effort to look more casual than he felt. Thanks to his experience with plenty of “natural” photoshoots, nobody seemed to pay too much attention to him.

Then Marinette came out. Adrien saw her immediately, saw that she was sucking on something—probably a mint—and that she hadn’t noticed him yet. She had a gentle smile on her face and walked casually out, but Adrien knew it was an act by the way her hands were shaking at her sides.

Marinette glanced over and froze when she noticed Adrien, her smile vanishing for an instant before she immediately plastered another one on.

“H-Hey, Adrien.” She waved at him, but all he could focus on was how pale she looked. “What’s up?”

Adrien frowned, trying to think of what to say. Should he try to be gentle with her, or assertive to try to scare her into getting help? He ran through a few options in his mind that didn’t sound right before settling for, “I’m worried about you, Marinette.”

Adrien watched Marinette’s face contort in panic for a moment before smoothing out into a pained smile. He knew that she could sometimes be a little awkward around her—it was something that he always felt bad for but didn't know how to remedy—but this was different. The fear in her eyes made something hard coalesce in the pit of his stomach, anger and sadness melding together as he watched his friend slowly killing herself.

Marinette let out a weak chuckle. “What are you talking about, Adrien? I'm fine, I promise.”

“Please Marinette, don't lie to me.”

“But I'm not lying,” she insisted.

“Yes you ARE!” Adrien shouted. His eyes widened as a rush of guilt overwhelmed him. He took a step back, and the image of his father standing tall and angry in front of him appeared, making his heart pound. He blinked it away and shook his head.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled,” he apologized. He took a deep breath in, then out. Keeping his voice low and even, he continued, “I care about you, Marinette. You're _scaring_ me.” He felt his voice tremble near the end, but he fought back the urge to cry or scream.

Marinette only looked more upset. “But why? I'm not _doing_ anything!” 

She looked so defiant, her fists clenched as she set her jaw and met Adrien’s gaze. She looked like Ladybug in that moment, beautiful and powerful, but Adrien knew danger was coming. Regardless of how in control she felt right now, he had seen the path she was on far too many times.

Adrien tried to think of what to do or say to convince Marinette, settling with, “I know you're not eating. I pointed it out, but now as soon as you finish eating lunch you excuse yourself to go to the restroom.” He sighed. “I'm a model, Marinette. I know all the tricks, either from seeing my friends using them or doing them myself. But it's a slippery slope.”

Marinette met his gaze, and Adrien could practically see her shaking. “Don't you trust me?”

“I _know_ you, Marinette. You're smart and determined and a hard worker, and that just makes it more dangerous for you. I've seen this end very badly for lots of incredible people. People like you, who are so persistent and focused on achieving their goals that by the time they realize what they’re doing to themselves it’s too late.” All the models he knew who had fallen down that same path were like Marinette. They were intelligent and passionate and so damn persistent that they never realized how bad things were getting until it was too late. The thought of the same happening to Marinette made him nauseous, which only served to remind him of his dear friend’s pain.

Marinette sighed. “Look, Adrien. Your concern means a lot to me, truly. But I'm fine.” She looked away and Adrien’s heart sank. “You should get going. I don't want you to be late for class. I'll catch up with you in a bit.”

“Marinette, please, I'm just trying to help you,” he pleaded. His eyes filled with tears that he tried to blink back, but in that moment he knew he had lost this argument. Marinette wouldn't admit to him that she had a problem, so there was nothing she could do. 

“There's nothing to fix.” It was a lie, and they both knew it, but the words hung in the tense air between them. 

“Marinette, I—” His voice broke. “I’m scared. Just…promise me you'll be okay.” Visions of his friend sick or dead flooded his mind, and he almost collapsed. Marinette would die and it was his fault for not being able to help her. His stomach lurched and he bit back a groan. 

Marinette smiled, a shaky one filled with grief and pain. “I'll be fine. Now go. I'll see you in class.”

Adrien reluctantly turned around, glancing back at her before slowly leaving for class. Was there anything he could do? More awful thoughts of Marinette's fate appeared in his mind unbidden, and he wiped away the tears slipping down his face as he made the slow trek back to class. 

“Please, Marinette,” he whispered to the still air. “Please don't go like this. I don't know what I would do if I lost you.”

And with his quiet plea heard only by the flickering lights above him, he opened the door and entered the classroom as the bell rang.

**Author's Note:**

> i've wanted to add more to my little universe for a while, but life kind of got in the way, as well as a little bout of writer's block. it was so much fun writing from adrien's perspective! let me know what else you'd like to see from me! comments give me life and it means the world that there are people out there who like reading what i write 🤍


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